Travis Hunter is starting to feel more like himself.

After getting banged up two weeks ago and playing sparingly last weekend, the Colorado two-way star is expected to play a bigger role when the Buffaloes (5-2, 3-1 Big 12) host Cincinnati (5-2, 3-1) on Saturday at Folsom Field (8:15 p.m., ESPN).

“Travis is better than last week,” head coach Deion Sanders said on Tuesday. “I think he’ll have more productivity because he’s feeling much better than last week. You could just tell with his little giddy-up and the way he goes about life, a little more pep in his step today.”

One of the leading candidates for the Heisman Trophy, Hunter has caught 51 passes for 604 yards and six touchdowns on offense, while posting 18 tackles, two interceptions and three pass breakups on defense.

Hunter suffered an undisclosed injury during the first half of CU’s 31-28 loss to Kansas State on Oct. 12, however, and then was clearly not 100% when he played during the Buffs’ 34-7 win at Arizona last Saturday.

Hunter caught just two passes for 17 yards at Arizona and didn’t play much on defense before sitting out the second half.

“I think he did some conditioning (on Tuesday), for sure, to make sure he’s on point with his conditioning, because he never tires, and we want to keep that what it is,” Sanders said. “But I think he will certainly contribute a lot more than he did a week ago because he’s healthier.”

Adjusting to late night

So far this season, CU has played two games that had afternoon kickoffs. Those both turned into 27-point wins on the road — the two largest road wins in the past 19 years.

In both of those games, CU scored 14 first-quarter points and went into halftime with 27 and 28 points, respectively.

On the flip side, CU’s had three games that started at 6 p.m. or later, including an 8:26 p.m. start vs. K-State. The Buffs are 2-1 in those games but had to hang on late in one win (vs. North Dakota State) and needed a miracle to get the other (vs. Baylor). Slow starts were an issue in all three.

With another late start this week, Coach Prime said the Buffs have to figure out some adjustments.

“You’ve got to prepare the kids, because we practice in the morning,” he said. “So now we’ve got to do body adjustments, time adjustments, sleep adjustments for our young men, so that they could start off fairly quickly.

“We haven’t started off quick in the night games, because that flips our whole schedule. We’ve fared better in day games because that’s who we are. But we plan on making adjustments this week to make sure we get the proper sleep, the proper rest, and we’re ready and prepared for kickoff, regardless of whatever time it is.”

Road warriors

After last Saturday’s win at Arizona, the Buffs are 3-1 on the road, including three straight wins for the first time in 28 years. All three wins have been blowouts, too, at Colorado State, Central Florida and Arizona.

“We like to be booed, and naysaid, and hated,” Coach Prime said of the Buffs’ road success.

“That turns us on. It’s kind of sexy, as a matter of fact. That’s how I felt when I played. I loved to be on the road and get booed and naysaid and hated on. I think we like being the underdogs, and we like being those type of people.”

Spot time

After dealing with an offseason foot injury, defensive end Keaten Wade made his CU debut last Saturday and recorded two quarterback sacks in only 11 snaps played.

Wade is a junior, but he has yet to use a redshirt season. Players can participate in up to four games and still use a redshirt year, and that is Wade’s plan for now — meaning he could play in three more games.

“(The staff has) just been considerate on my part, just letting me redshirt and playing me strategically four games,” he said. “So I’m just glad I could go showcase my skills.”

After a big game against Arizona, though, Wade didn’t close the door on potentially skipping the redshirt and playing out the season.

“Before I played, I talked to (defensive coordinator Robert) Livingston and (defensive ends coach Vincent) Dancy,” he said.

“They all said it was smart for me to redshirt. But I also can talk to them, see what they want their plan for me to be. But, I’m here any way I can help the team.”